Brake-beam and hanger-lever.



T. L. BURTON.

BRAKE BEAM AND HANGER LEVER.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 21, 1913.

1,097,000, Patented May 19, 191i llllllll INVENTOR A TTOR/V U TE STATESPATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS L. BURTON, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTING-HOUSE AIRBRAKE COMPANY, OF WILMERDING, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OFPENNSYLVANIA.

BRAKE-BEAM. AND HANGER-LEVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1914..

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS L. BURTON, acitizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Brake- Beams and Hanger-Levers, of whichimprovement the following is a specification.

This invention relates to brake beams and hanger levers for supportingthe same and the brake shoes, the object being to provide a simpleconstruction which shall be interchangeable, and in which either thebrake beam or the shoe may be pivotally attached at the lower end of thelever, and the other member at an intermediate point according as it maybe desired to change the leverage of the hanger upon the brake s cc.

With this object in view, my improvement comprises a brake beampreferably of a rolled metal section, having bracket pieces attached atits ends and provided with slotted openings and pivot pins, whereby thehanger levers may be passed through said openings and pivoted to thebeam either at the intermediate point of the hanger, in which case thebrake shoe is pivotally mounted upon the lower end of the hanger, or thebeam may be pivoted at the lower end of the lever, hanger, and the brakeshoe be pivoted to the hanger at its intermediate point.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a transverse section of thebrake beam on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2, and showing the hanger lever andbrake shoe in side elevation; Fig. 2, a plan of the brake beam; and,Fig. 3, a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the brake beam and thebrake shoe transposed as to their positions on the hanger lever.

According to the construction shown in the drawings, the brake beam, 5,is preferably formed of a rolled metal section, such as a channel, andat its ends are rigidly secured the brackets, 6, having slottedopenings, 7, and pivot pins, 8. The openings are designed to admit thepassage of the hanger levers, 10, which may thus be pivoted on the pins,8, either at their lower ends, as indicated in Fig. 1, or at theirintermediate points, as indicated in Fig. 3. In the first instance, thebrake head and shoe, 11, is pivoted upon the hanger lever at theintermediate point, while in the latter case, it is pivoted upon thelower end of the lever.

The brake beam is provided, preferably near its end, with lugs, 9, towhich the truck levers or connecting rods of the truck brake rigging maybe pivotally attached.

It will thus be seen that the hanger le vers are reversible, and thepoint of connection for the brake beams and shoes interchangeable,whereby the parts may be readily connected up to give the desiredleverage and pressure upon the brake shoes. Another advantage is thatthe hanger serves the function both as a hanger and as a truck lever,and but one set of parts need be carried in stock.

It will also be evident that, by means of my improvement, the brake headand shoe may be readily attached to, or detached from, the hanger leverwithout disconnecting any of the other parts, Whether applied to the endof the lever, as shown in Fig. 3, or to the middle of the lever, asindicated in Fig. 1.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination of a brake beam having slotted openings at its ends,hanger levers adapted to pass through said openings, and means forpivoting the beam upon the levers either at its lower end or at anintermediate point.

2. The combination of a brake beam having brackets rigidly secured toits ends and provided with slotted openings, hanger levers adapted topass through said openings and adapted to be pivoted to said bracketseither at the lower end or at an intermediate point of said levers, andbrake shoes pivoted upon said levers, the points of attachment of thebeams and of the brake shoes upon the levers being interchangeable.

3. The combination of a brake beam hav- In testimony whereof I havehereunto set ing slotted openings at its ends, hanger lemy hand. versadapted to pass through said openings, THOMAS L BURTON.

and means for pivoting the brake beams 5 upon the levers at one point,and the brake Witnesses:

shoes upon the levers at another point the J. SNOWDEN' BELL, points ofconnection being interchangeable. EDWARD A. WRIGHT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five @mQQmQb addressing theGprn mi ssipner 0 f Batents,

Washington, D. G.

